It’s the biggest week of the year in racing and Proven Thoroughbreds is privileged to have two runners over the historic Melbourne Cup Carnival.
STOCKMAN is all set to take his place in Tuesday’s $7.75 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington. On Saturday night, part owner Peter Newsom drew barrier two in the field of 24.
STOCKMAN is a deserved starter in Australia’s greatest race, having run 2nd in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) in April before winning the St Leger (2600m) 2 starts ago at Randwick.
Proven has never had a runner in ‘The Race That Stops The Nation’, nor has trainer Joe Pride, nor jockey Sam Clipperton! So we are hoping for some beginners’ luck when the barriers open at 3.00pm.
STOCKMAN’s ownership group is obviously buzzing with excitement as owning a Melbourne Cup runner in this day and age is akin to winning lotto – particularly with an Australasian bred horse.
Whatever the outcome on Tuesday, we will be incredibly honoured to have played a part in the Melbourne Cup.
Then on the final day of the carnival (now known as Champions Day) the airborne PRIVATE EYE will clash with a hot field in the $3 million Champions Mile.
Having sprinted so brilliantly over shorter distances this preparation, it will be interesting to see how the son of AL MAHER performs in his first run over a mile since last year’s Epsom triumph.
Jockey Brenton Avdulla will follow PRIVATE EYE down to Melbourne, having partnered the gelding in his last five starts.
Other runners for Proven this week include debutants LITTLE COINTREAU and MOUNT WARNING as well as lightly-raced mare DEEP CLEAN.
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BLACK BOOKER
Whilst we normally like to identify lightly-raced horses as our black booker, STOCKMAN put in as good a Cup trial as you will see when hitting the line hard as topweight in the Rosehill Gold Cup on Saturday. If that run was in the old Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington he would be half his current quote. Yes it’s unorthodox to have had a run in Sydney three days before the Cup but this has been a deliberate plan by trainer Joe Pride and if the horse can continue in his current vein of form, we think he might surprise a few.
Upcoming Proven Thoroughbreds runners
Eagle Farm Tuesday Nov 1
QTIS 3YO Maiden Plate 1600m:
AFFECTIONATE
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Ben Thompson
Comment: Couldn’t make an impression first-up at the Gold Coast over 1350m. Expected to appreciate getting out to a mile but needs to improve sharply.
Maiden Plate 1400m:
DEEP CLEAN
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Boris Thornton
Comment: Sound on debut when third at the Sunshine Coast over 1200m. Better for that experience and can win with luck in transit.
Kembla Grange Tuesday Nov 1
Maiden Handicap 1200m:
LITTLE COINTREAU
Joe Pride/James Innes Jnr
Comment: First starter fitted with three trials for this, the latest of which he finished 2.5 lengths from the winner. Drawn awkwardly with the rail out so look for him to be doing his best work late.
Flemington Tuesday Nov 1
Group 1 Melbourne Cup 3200m:
STOCKMAN
Joe Pride/Sam Clipperton
Comment: Genuine tough stayer with plenty of miles in his legs for what will likely be a testing 3200m in wet conditions. If he can get clear air at the right time who knows where he can finish?
Hawkesbury Thursday Nov 3
Maiden Plate 1100m:
MOUNT WARNING
Joe Pride/TBA
Comment: Impressive trial winner at Warwick Farm earlier this month and looks well educated for her debut run. By a sire on the rise in ASTERN.
CHILLI JAM
Joe Pride/TBA
Comment: Only start in her first campaign returned a creditable sixth behind subsequent stakes winner KIBOU in heavy 9 conditions. Looks to have come back well based on recent trials and might be over the odds here.
Flemington Saturday Nov 5
Group 1 Champions Mile 1600m:
PRIVATE EYE
Joe Pride/Brenton Avdulla
Comment: Coming off an utterly dominant win in the Nature Strip Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday. Proven at a mile and handles quick turn arounds. A potentially wet track the only real concern.
Gold Coast Saturday Nov 5
Class 2 Handicap 1350m:
HE KNOWS
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Jag Guthmann-Chester
Comment: Consistent galloper but has a poor winning record. In the right grade of race and both career wins have come around this distance.
Sunshine Coast Sunday Nov 6
BM58 Handicap 1400m:
GAP YEAR
Steve O’Dea & Matt Hoysted/Ben Thompson
Comment: Resuming. Won over this distance here on debut 11 months ago. Not seen since but looks ready based on latest trial.
